Explosive.



LIAM OUL AND ERNEST G. BECKETT, OF STEVENS'I'ON; SCOTLAND, ASSIGN'ORS TO NOBELS EXPLOSIVES COMPANY, LIMITED, OF STEVENSTON, SCOTLAND.

Patented Apr. 1, 191%.

EXPLOSIVE.

1,298,793. Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM RINTOUL, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and ERNEST GEORGE Bnoxn'r'r, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, both of Ardeer Factory, Stevenston, Ayrshire, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to explosives, and is based on our discovery that the compound dicyandiarnidin perchlorate is an explosive, and possesses valuable properties that have not hitherto been known.

The invention consists in preparing dicyandiamidin perchlorate, and in employing it as an explosive alone, or as an ingredient in a composite explosive.

The invention also consists in methods of preparing the dicyandiamidin perchlorate.

The dicyandiamidin perchlorate can be readily prepared from other salts of dicyandiamidin, which in turn are prepared from dicyandiamid by known methods.

According to one method of preparation of the perchlorate, the dicyandiamid is converted into dicyandiamidin sulfate, and to the solution of the latter is added a solution of barium, strontium or calcium perchlorate.

a hot concentrated solution of sodium per-- chlorate. The dicyandiamidin perchlorate crystallizes out when the solution is cooled.

The above reaction also takes place, however,

at ordinary temperatures.

The dicyandiamidin perchlorate may be further purified by solution in water.

Dicyandiamidin perchlorate, which may also be called rchlorate, 1s

recrystallizing it from guanyl-urea pe ap roxnnatel represented by the formula: iaoa Application filed January 3, 1919. Serial No. 269,489.

We have found it to have the following properties When tested in the Trauzl lead block, it shows an explosive power equal to that of trinitrotoluene, and is so insensitive to mechanical shock that a 10 kilo fall-hammer fails to explode it from a height of 2' meters. Notwithstanding its insensitiveness to shock,

however, it can be detonated by a No. 3 detonator.

When slowly heated, it begins to melt at a temperature of about 200 (3., and is completely melted at about 300 C. It explodes at a temperature of 378 C. The salt is soluble in cold water to the extent of about 15 per cent, and is less hygroscopic than potassium nitrate. The absolute density of the pure salt is about 1.8. It has no water of crystallization and is obtained and used as a fine crystalline powder.

This compound is well suited for use as a blasting agent, either alone or as an ingredient in composite explosives. It is also suitable for use as an explosive for military and naval purposes, and generally for such purposes as call for the employment of a high explosive.

As an example of the use of dicyandiamidin perchlorate as the main ingredient in a blasting explosive the following composition is suitable Dicyandiamidin perchlorate 69% Sodium nitrate 29% Woodmeal 2% As an example of the use of dicyandiamidin perchlorate in sensitizing more inert matiriials the following composition is suita e:

Ammonium nitrate 80% Trinitrotoluene 10% -Dicyandiamidin perchlorate 10% alone dicy'a-ndiamidin perchlorate gives exhand grenades.

explosive above mentioned, ammonium nltrate, trlmtrotol- 5 uene and dicyandiamidin perchlorate is especially suitable composition.

aving l ters Patent is 1. An explosiv din perchlorate.

for use as a shell-filling now described our invention, what We clalm as new and desire to secure by Lete comprising dicyandiami- 2. An explosive comprising dicyandiamidin perchlorate and a nitrate.

3. An explosive comprising dicyandiamidin perchlorate, a nitrate and a nitro-aromatic body.

4. An explosive comprising dicyandiamidin perchlorate, ammonium nitrate and trinitrotoluene.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification.

. WILLIAM RINTOUL.

E. G. BECKETT. 

